Public Policy News

The Internal and External Validity of the Regression Discontinuity Design: A Meta-Analysis of 15 Within-Study-Comparisons | JPAM Featured Article

Regression discontinuity (RD) is generally acknowledged as the most rigorous non-experimental method for obtaining internally valid impact estimates. The study tests the efficacy of RD by comparing RD causal estimates at the treatment cutoff to those from Randomized Control Trials also estimated at this same cutoff. The study identifies 15 previously completed within-study-comparisons that explicitly examined this issue by assuming the RCT results are unbiased and comparing them to RD results.

Student Member Spotlight: Luis Rodriguez

March 14, 2017 12:00 PM

APPAM honors those student and professional members who are dedicated to the public policy profession and stewards of APPAM's mission. Each month, both a new student and professional member will be featured in out Member Spotlight series. Interested in being in the spotlight? Email Meghan Grenda for more information.

What policy school do you attend and what is your degree program?

I am a Doctoral Candidate studying K-12 Educational Leadership and Policy at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development.

What is your expected graduation date?

I plan to complete the degree in May 2018.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I hope to pursue a research career in a non-academic policy research setting.

What are your research interests?

My current research interests focus on K-12 teacher policy. My interests in this area are ultimately driven by a concern for equity of access to highly effective teachers for all students. I’m particularly interested in how various teacher policies and reforms – compensation, tenure, evaluation – influence how well teachers perform and whether and how they move within and outside of the public schooling system.

How did you first get involved with APPAM?

I first attended the APPAM Fall Conference during my first year as a doctoral student. I’ve always been drawn to the Fall Conference as a forum in which high quality and cutting-edge research is shared and disseminated across policy domains.

Why do you stay active in APPAM?

APPAM allows me to stay abreast of new research to maintain a sense of what other researchers are studying. Attending the Fall Conference gives me the opportunity to utilize what I learn to reassess how I can contribute to the field.

What APPAM tools/resources do you use most often?

The Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM) is one of the first publication journals I reference when learning more about a new topic. I find it to be a trusted source of thoughtful and rigorous policy research.

Hobbies or fun fact:

I currently serve as a volunteer and Executive Board Member for Nashville Launch Pad, a local non-profit organization that provides temporary shelter to homeless youth in Nashville, TN. My involvement with this group has forced me to think how I can expand my work in the future to help study and address the needs of highly disadvantaged populations, such as homeless youth.